The trend in electronic device production, particularly in integrated circuit technology, has been toward fabricating larger numbers of discrete circuit elements with higher operating frequencies and smaller circuit geometries on a single device substrate. After these devices are fabricated, they may be subject to various electrical tests to verify functionality, quantify operating characteristics, and/or characterize the manufacturing process. Additionally or alternatively, the devices may be packaged for communication with other devices and/or electronic components.
Traditionally, the electrical tests have been performed by forming a plurality of electrical contacts with a device under test (DUT) and providing electric current to the DUT in the form of input power and/or test signals, as well as receiving electric current from the DUT in the form of output, or resultant, signals. The response of the DUT to various input test signals and/or power levels may then be quantified through analysis of the input and/or output signals.
More recently, integrated circuit devices with on-board wireless capabilities have been developed. However, testing technologies have not kept pace with this advancement, and the current state-of-the-art requires that these integrated circuit devices be singulated and packaged prior to being tested for functionality. Since such a process inherently will singulate and package both functional and non-functional integrated circuit devices, this testing strategy is time-consuming, costly, and wastes valuable resources. Thus, there exists a need for contact engines, probe head assemblies, and probe systems for on-wafer testing of the wireless operation of a device under test.